The Illinois PBIS Network builds capacity of schools, families, and communities to promote social and academic success of all students, including those with emotional/behavioral and other disabilities. Key focus areas of the Illinois PBIS Network include:

Prevention-basedschoolwide systems of positive behavior support,

Data-based decision making for instruction of behavior and academics,

Wraparound planning for students with complex emotional and behavioral needs and their families,

Community-based supports for families, youth, and schools

We're Moving!

The Illinois PBIS Network will be moving into the new ISTAC office on May 30th at:

Building Tier 2/Tier 3 Capacity within a PBIS System of Support (Eber, Swain-Bradway, Breen, & Phillips, 2013) onwww.pbis.org. This report defines the Illinois PBIS Tier 2/Tier 3 model of support by describing critical components. Click here for the report.

A Framework for Safe & Successful Schools

A joint report by leading educational organizations recommends implementing an interdisciplinary multi-tiered framework to improve school safety and access to mental health services for students. Click here for the Report.

The Impact of PBIS in Schools

A brief resource that summarizes the successful, research-based outcomes of PBIS implementation.

During the past 14 years, Illinois schools and districts have worked to develop the capacity to effectively support all students in achieving social, emotional, and academic success. Teams have actively participated in training, coaching, and technical assistance to ensure strong systems and accurate interventions at schoolwide and individual student levels. Ongoing support for district-based coaches and teams increases the likelihood for sustainability and expansion locally, regionally, and statewide.

Starting with 23 schools in 1998, PBIS has expanded to over 1,700 schools in over 370 Illinois districts. More importantly, schools show evidence of implementation with 72% currently using at least one self-assessment or progress monitoring tool. The Illinois PBIS Network is assisting districts in scaling up Tier 2 and Tier 3 systems, while continuing to strengthen Tier 1 with innovations addressing issues such as bullying prevention and disproportionality.

An increasing number of Illinois schools are installing higher tiers in their continuum of supports for all students. The schoolwide system provides a foundation for more individualized interventions, ensuring success for students with more complex needs. This newsletter provides examples of building a full system of behavioral support that also addresses the needs of the most vulnerable student populations, including:

Scaling up Tier 2 supports to benefit more students

Enhancing Tier 3 student outcomes at all grade levels

Blending initiatives to ensure success of students with autism

Expanding school efforts to address equity

Increasing access to general education for students with IEPs

Success with Tier 2 Supports

CICO Expansion Benefits More Students

Schools across Illinois are expanding their capacity to identify and support students with at-risk behaviors. Multi-tiered systems extend and intensify interventions for students at risk of academic and/or social failure. For example, CICO is targeted to impact student behavior as a means to increase academic engagement. This is accomplished by ensuring high frequency, scheduled, positive contacts with adults. In Illinois schools, the use of CICO-SWIS has increased from 223 in 2009-10 to 448 as of March 2013, indicating that more schools are using this data system to monitor the effectiveness of CICO for their students.

SD U-46 has invested in Tier 2 staff training and use of the Tier 2/Tier 3 tracking tool. The tool shows an increased use of interventions and student response over the last two and a half years. For example, over 10% of Highland Elementary School's student population is accessing CICO, and 80% of these students are meeting their daily progress goals. From 2010-11 to 2011-12, the percentage of Highland students with only 0-1 office discipline referrals (ODRs) increased from 88% to 91%. During the current school year, the school is maintaining this positive trend with 89% of students having 0-1 ODRs, 8% with 2-5 ODRs, and 3% with 6+ ODRs.

High School CICO Innovation

At the high school level, PBIS systems continue to develop as teams work on fine-tuning CICO for teachers and students. For example, at Huntley High School in Cons SD 158, approximately 100 students (4% of total enrollment) are currently accessing CICO. They recently initiated an electronic Daily Progress Report (DPR) resulting in increased teacher participation. With paper cards, 8-10% of the DPR cards were submitted and less than half had daily ratings completed by teachers. Since introducing the electronic cards, 75% of student DPR cards are submitted with complete data.

Expanding Tier 2 Interventions

Building on the CICO foundation, Social/Academic Instructional Groups (SAIGs) explicitly support acquisition and fluency of social and/or academic skills that directly impact school performance. For students who are not responding to these simple Tier 2 interventions, a brief Functional Behavior Assessment (FBA/BIP) can provide additional information to modify a Tier 2 intervention and strategically address student needs. Examples of schools building their Tier 2 systems include:

Heather Hill Elementary School in Flossmoor SD 161 began implementing CICO during the 2010-11 school year. As of March 2013, this school had 15% of their total enrollment participating in CICO, with 65% of these students meeting their Daily Progress Report (DPR) goals. The school has also decreased their percentage of students with 2-5 office discipline referrals (ODRs) over the last two years from 16% in 2010-11 to 14% in 2011-12. Additionally, in the 2012-13 school year to date, 12% of students have 2-5 ODRs. They are currently expanding their Tier 2 continuum of supports by participating in technical assistance (TA) training for FBA/BIP. This additional TA is helping the school to support more students with Tier 2 interventions.

Scaling Up Support at Tier 2

V. H. Nelson School inEast Maine SD 63 has expanded their continuum of supports at Tier 2 with both CICO and SAIG during the 2012-13 school year. By the end of February, 5% of the school population was enrolled in CICO, with 97% averaging 80% or higher of their daily points. Currently 92% of their students have experienced only 0-1 ODRs, with 7% at 2-5 ODRs, and 1% with 6+ ODRs. Through SAIG, this school has scaled up Tier 2 supports for students with small group instruction of specific behaviors (e.g. problem-solving skills) linked to the Tier 1 expectations (e.g. respect) using the Daily Progress Report (DPR) to monitor progress.

High School Builds on Strong Tier 1 Foundation

For the past two years, Hinsdale South High School,Hinsdale Township HSD 86, has built a PBIS continuum of supports for all students. They achieved fidelity at Tier 1 in 2012 and experienced a 26% decrease in total ODRs from 2010-11 to 2011-12. Their success continues with an additional 28% decline in ODRs for August through February of 2012-13 compared to the same time period in 2011-12.

This solid Tier 1 foundation has supported expansion of Tier 2 interventions for their incoming freshmen in need of additional supports by using CICO and targeted instructional groups. The school has supported approximately 75 freshmen with Tier 2 supports during 2012-13. They are working to further expand their Tier 2/Tier 3 systems for the 2013-14 school year.

Advancements at Tier 3

District Supports

High School

Tier 3 Implementation

As part of the ISTAC Educational Environment (EE) demonstration, Waukegan SD 60 dedicates resources to support the most vulnerable youth in the least restrictive environments in both middle and high schools. Using the wraparound-based Rehabilitation, Empowerment, Natural Supports, Education & Work (RENEW) process, youth most at risk for change in placement or dropping out are supported in goal setting and action planning to attain graduation and employment. To expedite RENEW implementation, a district leadership team progress monitors and supports the four campuses involved. The district also allocates coaching and training resources to support RENEW facilitators. Progress includes:

1) Over 50 staff completed RENEW training, including Special Education teachers, clinicians, and building administrators.

2) Twenty middle/high school youth are currently supported by individualized RENEW teams that meet frequently to strategize and monitor progress.

3) The district will increase capacity by training additional staff in RENEW to support more students next year.

Middle School Increases Interventions

for Students with Complex Needs

Miguel Juarez Middle School inWaukegan SD 60 has improved systems for identification and support of youth with complex social/emotional needs. Currently, six 8th graders and one 6th grader are supported through the person-centered RENEW planning process. Five of the seven youth have Individualized Education Programs (IEPs). Frequent team meetings with active use of data have resulted in a reduction of out of school suspensions (OSS) for five of the seven youth, and a 22% decrease in OSS overall for the group. Using the wraparound-based RENEW process, the school was able to maintain the least restrictive environment for six of the seven youth. RENEW plans and teams will now follow 8th grade youth to high school to continue action planning around graduation and employment goals.

Family Plan for a Student with Autism Enhanced

by PBIS School Supports

"Mac" and his family participated in the wraparound-based Focus Family process led by the Illinois Autism Training and Technical Assistance Project (IATTAP). Family concerns included Mac's behavior limiting family activities and Mac being at risk for placement in a more restrictive setting. The family-centered planning identified family needs and goals and a family team was developed with an action plan focused on dreams, strengths, and challenges. Family goals included: respite care, parents attending little sister's ball games together, family outings, and better school/parent communication. Through a collaborative ISTAC focus at the district level, communication and consistency between home and school was improved by individualizing the Tier 2 Check-in Check-out system. The goals of improved school and family relationships and activities were met and Mac has had success in school, with his family, and in the community.

Intensive TA Model Supports Districts

Building capacity for Tier 3 implementation requires complex coaching supports for district and school-based interventionists. The Illinois PBIS Network continues to refine an intensive model of technical assistance (TA) for Complex FBA/BIP, wraparound, and the wraparound-based RENEW process. Phase 1, Modeling, is the initial phase of support in which the coach models the desired skills and competencies. Phase 2, Support and Feedback, is defined by closely monitored practice opportunities with immediate, corrective feedback from a coach. Phase 3 involves Monitoring Fidelity to ensure effectiveness of Tier 3 interventions. Distance learning, on-site supports, and coaches network meetings help build fluency for coaches who, in turn, apply the intensive TA model for supporting their school-based interventionists. The Illinois PBIS Network's June 4-5th External Coaches Forum will give coaches hands-on experience reviewing and providing feedback on Tier 3 plans including FBA/BIP, wraparound, and RENEW. Coaches will learn how to replicate this intensive coaching process for schools in their districts.

Tier 3 Coaching Results in Successful Wraparound

A 6th grade student with mental health challenges benefited from a Tier 3 coaching process that helped school personnel effectively support him and his family. Despite Tier 2 interventions, "Owen" was at risk of being placed in a more restrictive setting. The wraparound process was initiated and a team and plan were developed to address his attendance, independent transitioning in the classroom, and completing work independently. Owen experienced success, but, as typical of students with complex mental health issues, his performance fluctuated over time. The district Tier 3 coach provided consistent support to the school wraparound team, ensuring that the team stayed focused and engaged. The intensive coaching process resulted in frequent meetings and persistent use of data. As a result, Owen's risk of being placed in a more restrictive setting decreased after 10 months.

Family Involvement Essential in Wraparound

"George" began wraparound at the end of 6th grade due to academic, behavioral, and social struggles that increased his risk for alternative school placement. George's grand-mother provided a strong support system at home, and was determined to help him stay in the general education classroom and graduate from high school. To strengthen the family's trust and connection with the team, the wraparound facilitator communicated with George's grandmother multiple times per week and emailed his Daily Progress Report (DPR) sheet each day.

With team focus on George's strengths (attendance and class participation), he began to engage in positive behavior with peers. After 18 months, George's needs had become strengthsand his office discipline referrals went from eight at baseline to zero for every other time period.

Innovations

Schools Expand Efforts to Address Equity

The Illinois PBIS Network is piloting a Culturally Relevant PBIS (CR-PBIS) self-assessment tool. The tool was developed based on practices identified by Sugai, O'Keeffe, and Fallon (2012) to ensure that all students benefit equally from schoolwide PBIS. Overall consensus from teams using the tool (n=6 schools) indicated that it generated awareness of the importance of culture, and provided insight on how to integrate more diverse perspectives into PBIS implementation.

Examples of activities that were planned or implemented as a result of completing the CR-PBIS include:

Forming a student council to incorporate youth voice in PBIS at the building level.

Incorporating a cultural perspective into "Cool Tools."

Sending letters home written in Spanish and following up with phone calls placed by Spanish-speakers to encourage parent involvement.

Translating the behavioral expectations into Spanish and posting in all public areas.

Increased Access to General Education Settings for Students with Disabilities

Illinois school districts are using the PBIS framework to improve outcomes for students with disabilities. In an initial study of 46 PBIS elementary and middle schools in Illinois, there were equivalent decreases in office discipline referrals (ODRs) for students with and without Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) (Tobin, Vincent, Horner, & Swain-Bradway, 2012). ODRs are correlated with lower academic achievement and drop out. As trends of decreasing ODRs continue, it is anticipated that academic success will increase for all students, including those with IEPs.

PBIS districts investing in Tier 2/Tier 3 supports have shown improved access to general education settings for students with IEPs. A sample of 121 elementary and middle schools investing in advanced tiers of PBIS had a rate of 62.95% of students with IEPs accessing general education, substantially higher than the state average of 57.91%. These schools also had faster rates of improvement in general education placement compared to Illinois schools statewide. For more information on special education placement trends in Illinois, view the Network's FY12 End of Year Detailed Progress Report at www.pbisillinois.org/publications/reports.

Community-wide PBIS Benefits Expand Beyond School

The PBIS district coaches in CCSD 93 in Bloomingdale have begun collaborating with the police department, public library, park district, parents, and superintendents from neighboring school districts, as well as their own school board, to initiate community-wide PBIS. Building principals are also actively involved. At a recent planning meeting, students made a presentation explaining PBIS, bullying prevention, and how both could benefit the community. Participants were then asked to complete a commitment form indicating they were ready to be a partner in the community-wide PBIS efforts. CCSD 93 is making strides involving their surrounding community, as well as parents, in PBIS implementation for the benefit of their students.

District Scales Up Bullying Prevention

Palatine CCSD 15 is systematically scaling up bullying prevention within the PBIS framework (BP-PBIS). Beginning with initial training to five schools in February 2012, seven of the district's 20 schools implemented an Expect Respect initiative during 2012-13. District support was provided through an annual networking forum and ongoing building-based coaching. Schools included student voice in the planning and implementation phases. They also progress monitored implementation through a systematic review of discipline data and student perception surveys. Current planning is underway for five more schools to implement Expect Respect in 2013-14.